(1888PressRelease)
December 21, 2007 - FROM THE MINISTER FOR MAJOR PROJECTS
The tallest free standing crane in Australia is now shaping the new Melbourne Convention Centre Development as the value of international conventions won for the centre hits the $250 million mark.
Minister for Major Projects, Theo Theophanous, and Minister for Tourism, Tim Holding, today inspected progress of Australia’s largest convention and exhibition building.
“Anyone looking at the construction site next to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on the banks of the Yarra would notice the 90-metre tall crane now dominating the skyline,” Mr Theophanous said.
“The crane will lift 52-tonne steel trusses that will give shape to the new centre’s distinctive triangular roof.”
Mr Theophanous said the construction of the new Melbourne Convention Centre was progressing well.
“A recent analysis by Standard and Poors found the project was on time and on budget,” Mr Theophanous said.
“You can already see the shape of the large 5000-seat plenary hall, the stage and stage walls.”
Minister for Tourism, Tim Holding, said conventions were being booked just as quickly.
“There are now 16 international conventions booked which will bring more than 36,000 delegates to Melbourne and inject more than $250 million into Victoria’s economy,” Mr Holding said.
The latest wins for the new centre include the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics Conference, expected to draw over 4000 delegates, and the 5th International Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control, which will see a further 1000 delegates arriving in Melbourne.
“Thanks to this new convention centre Melbourne is a key player in the global business of attracting world-class business events,” Mr Holding said.
Other events confirmed for the new Melbourne Convention Centre are the International Federation of Operational Research Conference in 2011 and the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2009, which alone will see 10,000 delegates arriving in Melbourne.
The new Melbourne Convention Centre opens for business in 2009.
Conventions won for the new Melbourne Convention Centre to date:
International Geomorphology Conference, 2009
International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists International Conference, 2009
Parliament of the World’s Religions, 2009
Congress of the International Federation of Municipal Engineers, 2009
World Congress of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy, 2009
International Congress for the Chemistry of Crop Protection, 2010
Congress of the Federation of Asian and Oceanic Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (Symposium), 2010
World Congress of Internal Medicine, 2010
International Congress of Applied Psychology, 2010
International Congress of Parasitology, 2010
International Conference of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2010
International Botanical Congress, 2011
World Congress on Human Reproduction, 2011
International Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research, 2011
5th International Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control, 2011
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics General Assembly Conference, 2011
Total projected delegates: 36,600
Total projected economic impact: $251,000,000
Projected economic impact figures as of 11 July 2007. Figures based on National Business Events Survey 2004, adjusted for CPI.
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